1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for producing image data defining an original image comprising one or more outline-bounded regions, that an embroidery data processing apparatus processes, based on the image data, embroidery data to control a sewing machine to form, on a work sheet, an embroidery corresponding to the original image.
2. Related Art Statement
In the field of industrial embroidery sewing machines, there is known an embroidery-data processing apparatus including a microcomputer capable of processing highly accurate embroidery data in a short time. The processing apparatus is provided by a wide-use personal computer which additionally includes an image scanner and a hard-disk drive. The prior apparatus produces, from an original image, embroidery data to form a multiple-color embroidery corresponding to the original image.
Recently, in the field of home-use or domestic embroidery sewing machines, there has been a demand for an embroidery-data processing apparatus which processes embroidery data to form an embroidery corresponding to a user's desirable original image and which costs low and is easy to use. This demand results from various reasons such as the diversification and/or sophistication of favorites of users, or the improvements of performance of embroidery sewing machines. That is, the users are not satisfied with the conventional sewing machines that can only form an embroidery according to embroidery data pre-stored in the machines. In particular, there is a strong demand for a home-use apparatus which processes embroidery data to form a multiple-color embroidery with a plurality of embroidery threads having different colors, respectively.
In the background, non-examined Japanese patent application (JP) laid open under publication No. 4(1992)-174699 discloses an embroidery-data processing apparatus to meet the above-mentioned demand. This apparatus includes (a) a main device having an incorporated microcomputer, a small-sized display, and several operable keys, and (b) an achromatic-image scanner which produces binary bit-map data representing the white or black color of each picture element of an achromatic original image. When the prior apparatus is operated to process embroidery data to form a multiple-color embroidery with color-different threads, the image scanner is used to pick up or read an achromatic original image and produce image data (i.e., binary bit-map data) defining the original image, as follows:
In the case of embroidering, for example, an original "plant" image, A, shown in FIG. 5, the original image A includes five outline-bounded regions, A1, A2, A3, A4, and A5. The region A1 is the center of the flower of the plant; the region A2 is the petal of the flower; the region A3 is the stem of the plant; and the two regions A4 and A5 are the left-hand and right-hand leaves of the plant, respectively. Each of the outline-bounded regions A1 to A5 has one or more outlines and an inside area bounded by the outline(s). Here, it is assumed that a user has his or her intention that different regions indicated at different hatchings in FIG. 5 are embroidered with different threads having different colors, respectively. Specifically described, since the two regions A4 and A5 are indicated at a common hatching, those regions are sewn using a common thread, i.e., in a common color. Each of the remaining regions A1, A2, A3 is illustrated at a hatching different from those for the other regions, and is sewn with a thread having a color different from the other colors. After all, four sorts of threads, i.e., four colors in total are used to produce a multiple-color embroidery corresponding to the achromatic original image A. To this end, the user is required to prepare four part-original sheets, B1, B2, B3, and B4, as shown in FIGS. 9(A), 9(B), 9(C), and 9(D), having four part-original images, A1; A2; A3; A4, A5, to be embroidered in the first to fourth colors, respectively. The achromatic-image scanner is operated to stepwise read each of the four part-original sheets B1 to B4. Each of the part-original sheets B1 to B4 is prepared by drawing, using, e.g., a black-ink pen, a corresponding part-original image A1, A2, A3, and A4, A5 on a white sheet. Each time the image scanner reads each part-original image A1, A2, A3, and A4, A5 from a corresponding part-original sheet B1, B2, B3, and B4, the microcomputer processes a batch of embroidery data to form stitches filling the inside area(s) of the region(s) of each part-original image. In this case, four batches of embroidery data are processed.
More specifically described, first, the user makes a copy of the outline of the region A1, onto an initial white sheet B1, by using an original B having the original image A shown in FIG. 5 and, e.g., a red carbon paper (red color is not readable or detectable by the achromatic image scanner). Then, the inside area of the outline of the region A1 copied on the sheet B1 is colored in with a black-ink pen (black color is readable by the achromatic image scanner). Thus, the first part-original sheet B1 shown in FIG. 9(A) is prepared. In FIG. 9(A) and each of FIGS. 9(B) to 9(D), the colored-in region(s) is/are indicated at a hatching as a matter of convenience. The same steps are made for each of the regions A2 and A3, so that the second and third part-original sheets B2 and B3 shown in FIGS. 9(B) and 9(C) are prepared. Finally, the two regions A4 and A5 to be embroidered in a common color are copied and colored in on the single sheet B4, so that the fourth part-original sheet B4 shown in FIG. 9(D) is obtained.
Generally, the inside area of an outline-bounded region is embroidered by being filled with stitches such as satin stitches, seed stitches, or multiple-pattern stitches. The multiple-pattern sewing is carried out by forming a multiplicity of prescribed patterns (e.g., circles, stars, etc.) in the inside area of an outline-bounded region and thereby filling the region with the thus formed multiple-pattern stitches.
However, the conventional image-data producing method disclosed in JP 4-174699 requires a user to prepare two or more part-original sheets, not only loading the user down with a large amount of work, but also increasing the data production cost, in order to produce embroidery data necessary to form an embroidery corresponding to user's desirable original image. In the prior embroidery-data processing apparatus for the home-use embroidery sewing machines, the achromatic-image scanner is employed for economic and other reasons. If a chromatic-image scanner that can read a full-color original image is employed in place of the achromatic-image scanner, then the chromatic-image scanner itself costs higher, and the processing apparatus needs more complex and larger-sized hardware and software arrangements for processing the full-color image data produced by the chromatic-image scanner. Those high-performance arrangements are more than enough for the home-use apparatus, and cost higher than acceptable.